The Sheepdog's Prayer

This is a discussion on The Sheepdog's Prayer within the Concealed Carry Issues & Discussions forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; I was inspired to write this prayer after learning about Lt. Col. Dave Grossman's concept of "Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs".
The Sheepdog’s Prayer
The Knights ...

i'm just a guy with a CCW. i'm not free lance law enforcement, i'm not a deputy, or a marshal from the old west. i carry so that me and my family have the option of last resort if, god forbid, i or my family become the target of a violent criminal.

i carry because it is my right and i don't have a personal 24x7 LEO or bodyguard who spent years training to be such, following me and mine.

i carry because human history has shown that we don't live in a utopian society where violence is never committed on our fellow man by our fellow man.

i don't carry so that i can pretend that i'm some sort of LEO or that i'm protecting the "sheep" because depending on the context, we're all sheep.

i find calling people who don't carry or subscribe to a more "liberal" philosophy as "sheep" to be demeaning to them and to myself. i'm a believer that we're all subject to our own choices and, as long as your choice doesn't impinge on my rights, i respect your right to make different choices than i do. i respect your right to have different opinions without me giving you a derogatory label or calling you a name. because in some other area or aspect of life, i may be the ignorant one and the choices i make, based on my ignorance, make me a "sheep".

I do not understand why people are giving the OP a hard time here. It would appear that this "prayer" is directed towards LE and military. So if you are neither one it does not apply to you. Do not get butt hurt and talk crap just move on. Come on people just because your not LE or Military does not reduce this to the level of CCW badges.

Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman is an author who has specialized in the study of the psychology of killing, which has been termed 'killology'.

In February 1998[1] LTC Grossman retired from the military as Professor of Military Science at Arkansas State University. His career includes service in the US Army as a sergeant in the US 82nd Airborne Division, a platoon leader in the 9th Division, a general staff officer, a company commander in the 7th (Light) Infantry Division as well as a parachute infantryman, a US Army Ranger and a teacher of psychology at West Point.

LTC Grossman's first book, On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society is an analysis of the physiological processes involved with killing another human being. In it, he reveals evidence that most people have a phobic-level response to violence, and that soldiers need to be specifically trained to kill. In addition, he details the physical effects that violent stresses produce on humans, ranging from tunnel vision, changes in sonic perception, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

LTC Grossman argues that the techniques used by armies to train soldiers to kill are mirrored in certain types of video games. The conclusion he draws is that playing violent video games, particularly Light gun shooters of the First-person shooter-variety (where the player holds a weapon-like game controller), train children in the use of weapons and, more importantly, harden them emotionally to the task of murder by simulating the killing of hundreds or thousands of opponents in a single typical video game.

His second book, On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace, is an extension of the first, intended to provide coping strategies for dealing with the physiological and psychological effects of violence for people forced to kill in their line of work (soldiers and police officers).

LTC Grossman uses blunt language that draws the ire of gamers - during the heights of video game controversy, he was interviewed on the content of his books, and repeatedly used the term "murder simulator" to describe first-person shooter games.

Since his retirement from the Army, LTC Grossman has founded the Killology Research Group and continues to educate law enforcement officers and soldiers in the techniques he has studied for improving outcomes in lethal encounters. He also speaks at civilian events on ways to reduce violence in society and deal with the aftermath of violent events such as school shootings.

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Let's see how your resume stacks up Mac and see who the real blowhard is ?